


One for Sorrow, Two for Mirth

by Larahna_Steadyblade



Series: Christmas 2018 Drabble Bingo [1]
Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: Angst, Cute, Depressed Stan Pines, Family, Fluff, Gen, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-28
Updated: 2018-12-28
Packaged: 2019-09-29 12:00:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,372
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17203037
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Larahna_Steadyblade/pseuds/Larahna_Steadyblade
Summary: Sometimes the same creature can have different meanings in different numbers.Ten times Stan Pines saw ravens, for better or for worse.





	One for Sorrow, Two for Mirth

1\. One for Sorrow

Stan noticed it as he trudged up to Ford’s door – a single black raven sitting in a tree near the edge of the woods. He wondered for a moment at what it meant (his mother had said an old nursery rhyme about birds a couple times, but he couldn’t for the life of him remember what it was), but quickly shrugged it off and kept moving. The desperate message on a postcard was burning a hole in his pocket, and he wanted to get inside as fast as possible. He had waited ten years for this moment. He didn’t want to wait a second longer.

He soon wished he had remembered the poem, if only to prepare for the outcome of his meeting with his twin brother. He was left with only a journal, a pair of glasses, and the vague understanding that somewhere outside, the raven was crowing.

2\. Two for Mirth

He really couldn’t believe it when people actually paid fifteen dollars a piece to come see a single room in his brother’s house. But come they did, and the knowledge warmed his heart a little. Sure, he was only borrowing the house while he worked to get Ford back, but his plan worked. He had food in his belly, and some small part of him was pleased that he had found a way to be successful, even if only by borrowing his brother’s name. He grinned as he saw the two ravens huddled together in the snow – maybe they were a good omen in pairs?

3\. Three for a Wedding

Really, it was a dumb idea. He knew better than to push his luck by attending Shermie’s wedding, to pretend he was Ford with so much family so close together, but he couldn’t help it. He hadn’t seen his little brother in almost fifteen years; he wanted to see how the squirt had grown up. He chuckled as he passed three ravens fighting over some fries – clearly, he was paranoid over the whole “good omen, bad omen” thing.

It was a nice wedding. Shermie looked happy with his new bride, who looked equally pleased. Stan snuck out before the reception. He didn’t think too much time around his extended family would be a good thing, and besides, he needed to get back to work on the portal.

4\. Four for a Birth

To be fair, he didn’t really have a say in whether or not he would be there when the kids were born. His niece had called to say she would personally disown him if he didn’t turn up. He liked his niece, so there he sat in a California hospital, waiting to see his great niece… nephew? He couldn’t remember. He glared at his watch, thinking of all the time he could be studying or rebuilding – surely he could have just come to see the kids later instead of waiting for them to be born, right? They sure were taking their own sweet time.

He stood to stretch his legs and wandered over to a window, and watched as four ravens jumped around the parking lot before he finally heard a nurse call “Pines!”

As soon as he entered the room, all of his regret dropped away. His nephew held a tiny baby in each arm while his niece looked on with a tired smile. He held the twins for at least half an hour before his niece got antsy and took them back. He could have more baby cuddles “whenever you come to visit,” she said with a sly grin. He grinned back at her and promised he would be down to see them all around Christmas time. Business would be slow then, and maybe the change of scenery would spark an idea that would allow him to restart the portal sooner. Yeah, that was the reason.

5\. Five for Silver

He stared at the five little ravens painted on the wall of the twins’ bedroom. His niece had mentioned that Dipper was going through a creepy nursery rhyme stage, but he hadn’t expected to see the birds that appeared at big moments in his life here in a child’s room. He started panicking a little inside – the last few times he’d seen groups of ravens had been good, so surely he was up for a bad one – when he felt a little tug on his coat. He looked down to see Mabel’s bright eyes settled between chubby cheeks.

“Grunkle Stan, I brought you something!” She held out a tiny fist, and Stan felt his heart melt as he bent down to take … a dime.

“Bye, Grunkle Stan!” She ran off, happy to have given her great uncle such a precious gift. Stan pocketed the coin, and realized the next week that he still had it. Something about Mabel’s smile made him chuckle and tuck it back into his pocket.

6\. Six for Gold

He sighed at of the garbage bags before hefting one onto his shoulder and carrying it to the cans, kicking at the ravens as they hopped around underfoot. He counted as they flew off – six. The growing number unnerved him. But some silly birds weren’t going to keep him from doing his job, and he grumbled as he reached the cans at the corner of the house, shoving gold candy wrappers further in to make the bag fit. Stupid teenagers, leaving their trash in his can.

7\. Seven for a Secret Never to be Told

He wonders sometimes if his nephew thinks about the ages of everyone in their family. The kid is smart, and he must know that Shermie isn’t old enough to be his dad. They’re only a few years apart in age – Sherm just looks much older than he is. Stan watches the seven ravens circle above his roof, and thinks about how his nephew would react to knowing “uncle Stan” is really his dad.

Of course, he can’t ever tell the boy. That would mean revealing that he’s actually Stanley, not Stanford, and until he gets the portal open, he can’t do that. Oh well. Idle thoughts for idle days, he supposes.

8\. Eight for a Kiss

He doesn’t dream about Carla often, but when he does, it cheers him up. Remembering the good times has always had that effect on him. Eight ravens dance around them as they walk down the boardwalk of Glass Shard Beach, hands clasped together. Carla has a grin that would make a cat jealous etched across her face and Stan can’t help but smile a little just watching her. The way her hips swing as she walks, the flow of her hair, and the happiness on her face makes his chest feel so light. She presses a kiss to his jaw as they walk. He doesn’t want to wake up yet.

9\. Nine for a Wish

June 15 comes along, and Stan feels the weight of the day as it ends. He knows no one else knows it’s his birthday, but he cares less about no one knowing and more about how he’s alone for another year. He sweeps nine little paper ravens off the shop counter – Mabel’s been making lots of them; she must have forgotten a few – and opens the secret door leading into Ford’s lab. He fiddles with a few switches, but after a while he knows he won’t be getting anything done that night. He pulls a small wrapped cake out of his pocket as well as two birthday candles, and sets the cake up on the table. He sighs heavily and blows out the candles.

_I wish you were here._

10\. Ten for a Bird You Must not Miss

Each breath burned as he sprinted from the jail back to the Mystery Shack. He vaguely knew there were a couple possibilities of what could happen, but he was more focused on getting back in time. He counted ten ravens as he ran, each sitting perfectly still and staring at him. They reminded him of how Ford would stare when he was fixated on something.

He’s so close to getting Ford back. Everything is about to be perfect.

He just has to get home.

**Author's Note:**

> Part of a drabble bingo game - be on the lookout for more soon.  
> Entry 4.1.


End file.
